I am new to this site ,so I hope I am doing this correctly. In my state people are allowed to use boats with platforms built on them to site fish for bass. My home lake is known for having lots of large bass and many are caught over 10 lbs.,so every year we get hoards of site fishermen. On a saturday there can be up to 30 to 50 boats of all types, This lake is only 100 acres. I have found site fishermen in general to be very disrespectful to others. What is your opinion on site fishing?

I can it or leave it ?

Love it ! But I dont act disrespectively towards anyone about it !?

Welcome aboard!

 

I will sight fish mostly during spawn, when the water is clearer.

Don't really have an issue with it, the folks I've encountered

during such times have been mostly courteous, but there are

knuckleheads out there.

 

Granted not really the same as sight fishing from a higher 

boat platform....

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

Love it ! But I dont act disrespectively towards anyone about it !?

Ditto...

 

Punching and site fishing are 2 of my favorite ways to fish.  I can do both for hours.

I have been called many things but never disrespectful to anyone for anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

I like it when it works, but I hate that I will waste 30 min throwing every lure I have on me at a bass that could not care less when I really should just move on and come back to her later. 

I never get to sight fish as all the lakes around me gets to muddy that time of year. Would like to try it to see if I'd like it!

What happens here is these guys do not have jobs and are not your typical bass fisherman. They fish 7 days a week all day for 2 months . There is like 5 or 6 that do this on top of your normal bass fishermen and they go around the bank edge over and over . They will run their boat between you and bank while your fishing. This is what we have to deal with.

I like it when it's working, but it can be really frustrating. I don't think it's the kind of fishing that's the issue you're having, it's the kind of people you're dealing with. 

Waters I fish are very clear cant help but sight fish. There's more to sight fishing than just targeting bedding bass. 

Sight fishing = good

Jerks = bad

Around here the lakes and ponds start filling up with vegetation so sight fishing can be hit or miss. 

 

I don’t like it I think we need to leave bass alone during the spawn

30-50 boats on a 100 acre lake sounds insane. If those numbers are accurate - well has the bass population diminished over the years?

Welcome to the BR site. By site fishing you may be saying bed fishing during the spawn, right? Trying to catch bass you see roaming or stationary can be a year around technique, not just bed fish.

Tom

15 minutes ago, WRB said:

Welcome to the BR site. By site fishing you may be saying bed fishing during the spawn, right? Trying to catch bass you see roaming or stationary can be a year around technique, not just bed fish.

Tom

I assumed we were talking about the same thing...Maybe not

 

Site fishing to me is and always have been stationary fish, especially ones locked on beds. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

I like to hunt deer during the rut. I guess I am an opportunistic type of guy. 

Don't care much for bed fishing. Much rather prefer the challenges of summer and winter fishing. If a person has a valid fishing license and is following laws and regulations have at it. It's none of my business.

Yes I was talking about sight fishing on the bed and I know the past 3 weekends there has been 30 boats this includes kayaks also. This lake is a big bass factory with a 18 to 24 inch slot limit and only one bass over 26 can be kept. 

I don't dislike sight fishing, but it is probably #6 or #7 down on my list of favorite ways to catch bass. 

 

I play a game with the male bass on beds, if I see them before the see me, they get fished for (at least 1 cast).  However, if they see me first, they are off the hook (pun intended).  I think if they do a good enough job to camoflauge themselves from a predator (me), they deserve to be rewarded.

 

This game does not apply to the fat girls...

During the early period of my bass fishing experiences as a early teen to young adult I enjoyed bed fishing and learned a lot about bass behavior during those seasonal period.

1. You are not fishing for a bass as a predator, bed bass don't hunt food. You are targeting bass protecting thier eggs or fry from any intruder.

2. You are hunting in a nursery. If you want to destroy a entire year class of bass the fastest way to accomplish that is bed fish in small lakes.

Tom

I'll let y'all know more Wednesday ?

I don't do it very often, but I will site for structure along a shore line.  Like big boulders, wood, weed lines, rock drop-offs.  i will sometimes see bass while looking for these other items.

6 hours ago, WRB said:

 

2. You are hunting in a nursery. If you want to destroy a entire year class of bass the fastest way to accomplish that is bed fish in small lakes.

Tom

Really something to consider. And I fish small lakes. Fortunately all bass don't spawn at once so I would think that one could focus on deeper water techniques.

I’m happy that this year our lake water is so muddy and not easy to sight fish. I don’t see a lot of young kids walking and yelling along the shoreline. 

I like sight fishing too, mostly in summer when school of bass cruising and chasing bullgill in shallow. It was fun using light tackle to target those fish.